Internet Betting to be banned in Italy?

[adsman]

Obviously this isn't going to effect many posters here, but on the off chance that any of you are living in Italy and haven't picked up on this, (I've only just found out myself), I thought I'd post the details to give you the option of getting your money out.

From January 1st all internet betting providers not approved by the Italian govt, (ie those who aren't payin tax to the Italian govt) will have their sites blocked in the Italian telecomunication system. This includes poker sites. This is illegal as far as European union laws go but hey, this is Italy.

So if any of you are effected by this I advise you to pull your money out of the sites and move it to Neteller etc until the situation becomes clear. Betfair, which is one of the biggest online bookmaking sites has advised their Italian customers that, well that they're basically fecked. There are only about 10,000 online poker players in Italy so I don't think sites like party, even if they know about this new development, will give a toss.

I sure as hell hope that this turns out to be bunkus, but the law has been passed by Italian parliament, so I thought it would be better to let anyone effected know.

Happy new year my fat one.

[Quicksilvre]

I think internet gambling was illegal in Italy before now.

[excession]

Can't you just run a java client like Pokerroom thru an anonymiser website?

[Al P]

Probably but if you have any existing money on sites I think you'd want to cash out now before you wont even be able to access the site.

[excession]

Yep - or you'll be hopping on a train over the border and visiting an internet cafe pretty fast /images/graemlins/smile.gif (or getting someone you really trust to empty your accounts for you)

[jj_frap]

That's what those dumbasses get for electing a right-wing government that includes fascist parties and that has ties to the Vatican...

Next to Washington and Beijing, the Vatican is about the biggest enemy to civil liberties that this world faces.

[Albert Silver]

[ QUOTE ]
Obviously this isn't going to effect many posters here, but on the off chance that any of you are living in Italy and haven't picked up on this, (I've only just found out myself), I thought I'd post the details to give you the option of getting your money out.

From January 1st all internet betting providers not approved by the Italian govt, (ie those who aren't payin tax to the Italian govt) will have their sites blocked in the Italian telecomunication system. This includes poker sites. This is illegal as far as European union laws go but hey, this is Italy.

So if any of you are effected by this I advise you to pull your money out of the sites and move it to Neteller etc until the situation becomes clear. Betfair, which is one of the biggest online bookmaking sites has advised their Italian customers that, well that they're basically fecked. There are only about 10,000 online poker players in Italy so I don't think sites like party, even if they know about this new development, will give a toss.

I sure as hell hope that this turns out to be bunkus, but the law has been passed by Italian parliament, so I thought it would be better to let anyone effected know.

Happy new year my fat one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. The European Betting Association among others has already filed a protest as shown here (http://www.assopoker.com/notizie_finanziaria_2006.htm)

Albert

[ericicecream]

[ QUOTE ]
will have their sites blocked in the Italian telecomunication system.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know an awful lot about how the internet actually works, but this is possible?

Is it possible for the U.S. gov't to do this someday also if they passed a law on it?

[Jeremy517]

[ QUOTE ]
Can't you just run a java client like Pokerroom thru an anonymiser website?

[/ QUOTE ]

No. Java clients don't connect through standard web ports and wouldn't run through the anonymizer. The java clients establish their own connection.

[OrcaDK]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
will have their sites blocked in the Italian telecomunication system.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know an awful lot about how the internet actually works, but this is possible?

Is it possible for the U.S. gov't to do this someday also if they passed a law on it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes to both.

[Eagles]

[ QUOTE ]
That's what those dumbasses get for electing a right-wing government that includes fascist parties and that has ties to the Vatican...

Next to Washington and Beijing, the Vatican is about the biggest enemy to civil liberties that this world faces.

[/ QUOTE ]
Washington is an enemy to civil liberties? I am Canadian and it is obvious America is one of the freest nations in the world so don't give me that B.S. If you want to look at places that actually are enemeies to civil liberties how about Iran and North Korea.

[KaneKungFu123]

Are italian citizens allowed to play from another country, or can they just not play online poker period, end of story?

[crazy canuck]

Can't you just run a java client like Pokerroom thru an anonymiser website?


Even if u can , the sites might close your account and confiscate your funds if you have an Italian address.

[adsman]

So at this point I can still access all the sites. I've been monitoring an Italian betting forum who are closely following proceedings. The problem is that the authorities could choose to put the new laws into effect any time they please. So I basically can't leave any funds sitting in a poker site at this point which is a huge pain in the butt.

I'm thinking of moving to Uganda.

[Peter Harris]

jeez ads that frigging sucks. Move to a place with snowboarding and less dubiously legal poker playing...how about Aspen?!

Hope this turns out to be a flash in the pan but, well, it doesn't look pretty.

[crazy canuck]

I'm thinking of moving to Uganda.

Can't you move to Slovenia or Croatia?

The scary part of this for us North Americans is that the US might follow suit.

[stigmata]

[ QUOTE ]

The scary part of this for all winning poker players is that the US might follow suit.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Sifmole]

[ QUOTE ]

The scary part of this for us North Americans is that the US might follow suit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Follow suit in trying to block the sites? Not a snowballs chance in hell. Really, not even that likely.

[SomethingClever]

I'm following this closely as well; my wife and I are planning an extended trip to Europe (with a long stay in Italy) in the fall of 2007, and I hoped to play for it by pokering along the way on my laptop.

C'mon, Italy. Don't make me ashamed of my heritage.

[crazy canuck]

[ QUOTE ]

Follow suit in trying to block the sites? Not a snowballs chance in hell. Really, not even that likely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I hope you're right. But if a year ago someone would have told me that Italy would block access to online gambling sites I would have laughed at him too.

[The once and future king]

What has the Don got to say?

[CORed]

Looks like somebody is going to make some money running proxies that you can connect to from Italy. I think it will take about 2 weeks before they find a way around this.

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
That's what those dumbasses get for electing a right-wing government that includes fascist parties and that has ties to the Vatican...

Next to Washington and Beijing, the Vatican is about the biggest enemy to civil liberties that this world faces.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, and for electing left wing governments before that that put their whole telecommunications infrastructure in the hands of the government.

[davmcg]

I've noticed that Italian players still appear to be active - could it be websites blocked rather than the ip addresses used by the clients?

[KaneKungFu123]

can i get a link to that italian gambling site?

[adsman]

[ QUOTE ]
can i get a link to that italian gambling site?

[/ QUOTE ]

it's infobetting.com

Here's a link to the specific thread concerning the problem. http://www.infobetting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19347

In an interesting new development the United Kingdom has threatened to end all Italian wine imports if the Italian government goes through with this legislation.

[KaneKungFu123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
can i get a link to that italian gambling site?

[/ QUOTE ]

it's infobetting.com

Here's a link to the specific thread concerning the problem. http://www.infobetting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19347

In an interesting new development the United Kingdom has threatened to end all Italian wine imports if the Italian government goes through with this legislation.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have an account, please ask these Wops to type in english.

[KaneKungFu123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
can i get a link to that italian gambling site?

[/ QUOTE ]

it's infobetting.com

Here's a link to the specific thread concerning the problem. http://www.infobetting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19347

In an interesting new development the United Kingdom has threatened to end all Italian wine imports if the Italian government goes through with this legislation.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have an account, please ask these Wops to type in english.

[/ QUOTE ]

[The Truth]

I hope the US just blocks all non US based poker sites. So, they would have to base the site out of the US and pay US tax.

Hopefully, they would also ban all non US people from playing on the site /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Do you see why?


Enjoy!
blake